World peace should have arrived by now. Instead many of us can’t even bear to watch the news, as politicians believe that killing all creatures is a way to solve issues. If you feel helpless, the best idea is often to turn off the news, lead a peaceful life yourself, and help organisations actively trying to encourage peace in warring nations, and offering practical help that need funds. Get your media from verified sources like Byline Times (independent with no donors) where you’ll read the truth rather than press release soundbites.
Peaceful Planet is a book looking at why we have wars. For children age 9 and up, it looks at the problems of fighting over land and resources and beliefs, and has case studies including the Second World War and peaceful resolutions like the Good Friday Agreement.
Let’s be extra careful that we don’t become unwitting agents in the spread of disinformation. Go slow. Vet your sources. If you don’t want to (or can’t) take the time to verify the information you share, or issue a public correction when you get something wrong – don’t share it in the first place. Good Newspaper
ideas for world peace
- Enough Blood Shed is a book of 101 solutions, known to work as they are already in use. Focused on individuals, schools, activists, religions, media and politicians, the co-author has been a leader in the international peace movement for over 20 years).
- The Oil Depletion Protocol by climate expert Richard Heinberg looks at how to prevent war, by moving to an oil-free society. Nearly all all wars occur in countries with oil. Reducing oil production and imports is a consistent and sensible way to bring peace.
- Seeds of Peace takes teens from opposing sides (say Israel and Palestine) then introduces tomorrow’s leaders to each other at summer camps in other countries. They arrive sometimes wanting to kill each other, and leave as friends.
- Happy Planet Index is an alternative to GDP that measures ‘wealth’ based on peace, happiness, wellbeing, environmental protection and animal welfare, over economic growth. So instead of a ‘rich country’ selling arms to kill innocent people, Costa Rica comes out top (it got rid of its army decades ago to pour money into saving rainforests and building schools). The UK and US (5th and 1st in GDP) are nowhere near the top here (they drop to 14th and 122nd respectively).
- Global Peace Index again looks at trends in peace, rather than growth. Top here are Iceland, New Zealand and Denmark.
- Read the 10 Steps to World Peace (these include true equality laws to reduce conflict, sharing wealth fairly), tackling climate change (avoids conflicts for land and water), switching to green banks (that don’t make money from arms sales), embracing open society and promote peaceful ways of resolving conflict (mediators are used professionally for office politics, but not for stopping wars?
If you can’t be peace in your own life, you can’t create world peace. Aussie writer Andrew Matthews once asked his dad why people were punching people on TV (his dad replied ‘because they want world peace’). We have MPs all yelling at each other on how to create peace. Marilyn Flower has a lovely post on how (as difficult as it is) sending love and peace to Putin et al is a good thing to do. ‘If we’re all One, peace is an inside job’.
peaceful politics & religion
The Peace Party would withdraw the UK from Nato and return to the Minsk-2 Agreement. It says the war between Russia and Ukraine is due to 30 years of encouraging expansion of NATO and undermining the authority of the UN. The Alternative (Denmark) is not a party but more a think-tank on world peace and other good things, from one of the world’s most peaceful nations.
Many wars are caused by religion, but religions can also be used for peace. One faith with a strong history for world peace is the Quakers (founded by George Fox who was disillusioned with the Church of England). You can download free resources on ending arms and drones, learn about conscientious objection and learn about rethinking security without nuclear weapons or Trident (cancelling this would fund practically everything and balance the books).
Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. Saint Francis de Sales
help animals caught up in war
Good Newspaper and The Pack have fantastic posts on how to help animals of Ukraine, and links to charities where you can donate direct to help shelters under strain. Other places that help animals caught up in wars include:
